78 A TREATISE ON HORSE-BREEDING. 



should first be lined by a mongrel or a dog of 

 some other breed. But aside from this single 

 exception I do not think the cases are suffi- 

 ciently well authenticated or sufficiently nu- 

 merous to justify the practical breeder in pay- 

 ing any especial attention to it, especially when 

 to do so would require a departure from plans 

 that would otherwise be followed. 



EFFECT OF IMAGINATION UPON THE COLOR OF 

 PROGENY. 



The question has frequently been asked, 

 Does a sudden fright, or any peculiarity of as- 

 sociation in a pregnant animal, have any effect 

 upon the color or markings of the progeny? 

 and the answer given has sometimes been "yes," 

 and sometimes "no." In fact both sides of the 

 question have been stoutly maintained by in- 

 telligent gentlemen, who have claimed to speak 

 from extensive personal observation and ex- 

 perience. Ever since the day when Moses 

 wrote the .account of the method employed by 

 Jacob to over-reach his father-in-law in the 

 division of his cattle (see Genesis, chap. XXX), 

 there have been those who believed it possible, 

 through a strong mental impression, to affect 

 the color and otherwise mark the offspring; 

 and ever since the day when I, then in my early 

 boyhood, first read the account of Jacob's suc- 

 cess in breeding cattle that were "ring-streaked, 



